Okay, Glamis the Great...Here's the Deal. You Teach Me How You Live Your Life and I Will Teach You How I Live Mine.

This is what it looks like when you've been walked twice, had non-stop human company, were bathed, spent an entire day outside to dry, and had numerous cases of fetch, tag, tug-o-war, and racing. I pretty-much had most of my day behind a computer screen, so I owe much of the dog-watching to Edem. I'd come downstairs from time to time to check on everyone, and it seemed like Glamis was always in pure joy mode. Then, by 8 p.m. she's on the couch snoring, dreaming, and ignoring the rest of us.

I want such sleep.

There was a turn with my graduate students last night as the reality of our home-stay hit us. They know I've chosen optimism, cheerleading, support, and laughter to keep my courses going, but in a go-around tonight, I began to see cracks in the energy, hope, and drive. My in-practice teachers, many of them with families, were admitting they were barely hanging on. Cases are starting to hit close to everyone's homes, and it is scary, because there's nothing that can be done. Although all are optimistic about the success rate of passing it out of the system, it's still not easy and it is tragic when it actually really gets after someone. One of my graduate students ran to the emergency room with an asthma attack (thank you, pollen) and his face so swollen that he couldn't see, but he was told they weren't able to treat him. They suggested allergy medicines and Tylenol, water, and much rest. The facilities are just overwhelmed, or preparing for all to come. He didn't show for class, and said he'd try next week. He's just tired. And I hope it is allergies. Still not enough tests.

The teachers talked about how it is getting more difficult to stay positive, "hard to keep it real," but still chipping away. Others reported they are crying more than usual, simply frustrated by the separation, passing of time, and lack of traffic except for sirens. There's always faith. The blue skies of a nice day offer something to think about, but living life from behind a screen gets old.

This is day 24 of online teaching.

"I'm not the student I was a semester ago," said a graduate student. "I don't think I'll ever be able to find that student again again. You know I like to achieve and excel. I'm not even sure I can do just a lil' okay this semester."

I took notes, because I realized I was witnessing the history in the moment.

Others have lost jobs, are totally indoors, and mournful that this is a new normal now. Some reported being terrified, worried, and distracted. Animal Crossing is therapeutic to many. Sleep patterns are off, and some recommend just pretending everything is normal: alarms, showers, breakfast and meet and greet their students online. A few have picked up arts and crafts to pass time and to do what they've never had time to do.

Then, after they shared, I went on with class, which went well and where the feedback was incredibly kind. They are stating that the other online learning they are getting from their classes is not as organized, focused, purposeful, or thoughtful. That made me feel good. Some of their professors have gone missing from teaching and only wrote an email to say, "the projects are still due at the end of the semester."

Great. That is helpful, I'm sure.

As for me, it was another 14-hour day and today will be the same. I'm trying to maintain my normal pace, but I know after the classes are taught and I close down for the night, I'm a little overwhelmed myself. I haven't caught up with the news, because I can predict what they're going to say. I saw a crazy jump in the numbers from the time I woke up until lunch time and said, "It's not helpful to keep looking."

Is it creepy to read news reports from Spain and Italy each morning, so I know where we'll be 3 weeks from now? I'm preparing for it all. Phew.

And then I think about the rest of the nation that is just beginning to hunker down, many states slow to believe it was coming their way or that any of this was real. I hope the best for them, especially the ones that denied the truth heading their way.

Bless.